Glove mounting ring device to permit of performing operations in a sealed container

ABSTRACT

For the fixation of a flexible glove intended to permit of performing operations in a sealed container, use is made of a ring made of ring elements hinged to one another and some of which are always located on the outline of the ring, whereas the others can be retracted inside this outline. Expansion of the ring is obtained by pushing in the outward direction the hinges between two ring elements of the second kind. Such a ring is adapted to fit in the expansible gutter-shaped edge of the deformable glove.

United States Patent Townsend et al.

GLOVE MOUNTING RING DEVICE TO PERMIT OF PERFORMING OPERATIONS IN ASEALED CONTAINER Inventors: Eric Jean Townsend, Vitry, Seine; MarcelFor-tin, Maurepas, both of France Assignee: Commissariat A LEnergieAtomique, Paris, France Filed: July 7, 1969 Appl. No.: 869,982

Related US. Application Data Division of Ser. No. 655,058,-July 21 1967,Pat. No. 3,541,648.

Foreign Application Priority Data Aug. 1, 1966 France ..6671635 Aug. 1,1966 France ..6671636 US. Cl. ..312/1, 29/200, 29/237 Int. Cl. ..A6lg11/00 'Oct. 17, 1972 [58] Field ofSearch ..3l2/l; 63/5,6, 9; 81/3;29/237, 200; 248/99 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS3,337,279 8/l967 Reinhardt et al ..312/1 3,410,619 11/1968 Delnay etal..312/1 Primary Examiner-James C. Mitchell Att0rneyWilliam D. Stokes[57] ABSTRACT For the fixation of a flexible glove intended to permit ofperforming operations in a sealed container, use is made of a ring madeof ring elements hinged to one another and some of which are alwayslocated on the outline of the ring, whereas the others can be retractedinside this outline. Expansion of the ring is obtained by pushing in theoutward direction the hinges between two ring elements of the secondkind.

Such a ring is adapted to fit in the expansible guttershaped edge of thedeformable glove.

7 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures 17 65 &5

GLOVE MOUNTING RING DEVICE TO PERMIT OF PERFORMING OPERATIONS IN ASEALED CONTAINER This is a division of application Ser. No. 655,058,filed July 21, 1967, now US. Pat. No. 3,54l,6'48, granted Nov. 24, 1970.

The present invention relates to ring devices for securing a glove orthe like to the wall of a sealed container through a conduit provided inthe wall of said container so as to permit of performing operations insaid container.

The invention is concerned in particular with mounting devices of thiskind for use in connection with containers for radioactive bodies.

The chief object of this invention is to facilitate the fixation of sucha device.

The invention consists chiefly in providing said device with anexpansible ring, in particular made of elements hinged to one another,so that it is possible, in the retracted position of the ring, to passit through a conduit of a cross section smaller than that correspondingto the operative position of the ring. In particular the ring is made ofa plurality of hinged elements separated from one another by otherelements disposed for instance by pairs, which in the retractedposition, maintain the general shape of the device but with a retractionthereof, and which, when the ring has been brought opposite the surfaceon which it is to bear, can, by deformation toward the outside andjamming, occupy a final position where the outline of the ring expandsbeyond the cross section of the conduit.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be hereinafterdescribed with reference to the appended drawings given merely by way ofexample and in which,

FIG. I diagrammatically shows in plan view, a sealing ring madeaccording to this invention, the solid lines and the dotted linesshowing two positions of said ring;

FIGS. 2 and 3 show, respectively in side view seen from the direction ofthe arrows "-11 of FIG. 3 and in diagrammatical axial section, a deviceaccording to this invention in the retracted position thereof;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are views similar to FIGS. 2 and 3 respectively, thedevice being in the expanded position;

FIG. 6 shows, on an enlarged scale, a ring according to this invention,in solid lines in retracted position, and in dotted lines in theexpanded position;

FIG. 7 is an axial sectional view of the wall of a container providedwith a passage for the device according to this invention;

FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 are views similar to FIG. 1 illustrating three otherembodiments of the invention, respectively;

FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic sectional view illustrating an apparatus forfitting in position a glove mounting device according to this invention;and

FIG. 12 shows an expansible ring to be used with the apparatus of FIG.11.

The invention is concerned with the introduction into a sealed containerof a ring having in its operative position a diameter greater than thecross section diameter of the passage through which the device is to beintroduced into the container.

In the embodiment illustrated by FIGS. 1 to 7, the ring consists of aplurality of elements in the shape of circular segments, some of theseelements, to wit 1,

being always located at the periphery and the others, to wit 2, beingpivoted about axes 3 and 4 so that they can be retracted inwardly.

FIG. 1 shows that, in the. retracted position, where axes 4 are locatedon the inside of the periphery, the whole has a diameter d smaller thanthe diameter D of the ring when elements 2 are pivoted outwardlyandoccupy the position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1.

As shown by FIG. 6, axes 3 and 4 may be offset to the inside of the meanline M of elements 1 and 2, which ensures an easier jamming of saidelements 1 and 2.

FIG. 7 shows how the expansible edge 10 of glove 5, fitted on expansibleringl, 2 is applied against surface In FIGS. 2 and 3, ring 1,2 and theedge of glove 5 are shown in retracted position, whereas FIGS..4, 5 and7 show the expanded position of said parts.

FIG. 7 shows the introduction of system 1,2,5 through a passage 11 ofthe container wall 9 the cross section of which is smaller than thecross section of the chamber against the inner surface 8 of which gloveSis to be fixed.

Thus the setting of system 1,2,5 can be performed from the outside ofthe container, whereas it is generally necessary to have the sealedcontainer opened for this purpose, which involves risks of contaminationand high expenses.

Ring 1,2 may be made of a metal or another suitable material. It maypossibly be made of a plastic material or covered with a plasticmaterial. v

It should be well understood that the term ring has been used in itsbroader meaning and designates any bounding structure which is endlessbut not necessarily circular. For instance, FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 showrespectively, a triangular ring, a square ring and a rounded elongatedring.

The introduction of the ring into the sealed container through passage11, is advantageously performed by means of an apparatus such asillustrated by FIGS. 11

and I2.

Glove 5 is to be fixed on the inner surface 8 of a housing consisting ofan annular projection 16 the diameter D of which is greater than thediameter d of introduction passage 11. Ring 1,2 serves, in its activeposition, to apply the edge 10 of said glove 5 tightly against the innersurface 8 of projection 16.

Ring 1,2 in its retracted position shown by FIG. 12, is introducedthrough passage 11 into annular projection 16, after which pivot pins 4are to be moved outwardly so as to expand the circle formed by the wholeof elements 1 and 2.

For this purpose use is made of an apparatus secured to an annular.projection 19 (FIG. 11) fixed with respect to the wall 9 of thecontainer on the outside thereof. By means of such an apparatus, it ispossible to fixring 1,2 in projection 16 and also, if necessary, tosubstitute a new glove 5 for an old one.

This apparatus comprises on the one hand, a tubular body 20 slidable ina sleeve 21 adapted to be secured to projection 19, said sleevecomprising fixation lugs 22 cooperating with slots 23 provided in body20 for adjusting it into the desired position, and

on the other hand, in this tubular body 20, arms 24 adapted to act at 25on pivot pins 4, said arms being controlled by a mechanism movableaxially in tubular body 20.

This mechanism comprises a casing 26, the axial displacement of which isobtained by the screwing of a threaded plug 31 in body 20, this plugbeing actuated by a first hand-wheel 21a. In this casing 26 there isprovided a set of pinions 27, 28 for actuating shafts 29, these pinionsbeing controlled by means of a handwheel 30.

This apparatus works as follows:

Ring 1,2 in retracted position, engaged in the edge of glove 5, is setin position in tubular body 20.

This tubular body is engaged into the corresponding passage 1 1 of thecontainer wall 9. It is fixed in annular projection 19 by sleeve 21 andits position is adjusted by lugs 22 cooperating with slots 23 of body20.

Hand-wheel 21a is rotated in one direction to bring system 1,2,10 intoplane [-1.

Hand-wheel 30 is rotated in one direction toexpand system 1,2,10 andapply it against the inner surface of projection 16.

Hand-wheel 21a is further rotated in the same direction to bring system1,2,10 into the position, corresponding to plane 11-, that it mustoccupy finally. This movement may drive off a precedingly used system1,2,10, which is thus dropped into the inside of the container.

Hand-wheel 30 is then rotated in a direction opposed to the precedingone so as to pivot arms 24,25 inwardly, thus disengaging them from ring1,2 which is now expanded and jammed in position.

Hand-wheel 21a is then rotated in the direction opposed to the precedingone to bring arms 24,25 into the position shown in solid lines in FIG. 11.

Sleeve 21 is then detached from projection 19 and tubular body 20 pulledoff from passage 11. Glove 5 is then pushed into the container.

The system above described has many advantages among which the followingones may be cited 2 it permits an easier manipulation, in particularwhen passage 11 is of small cross section it is no longer necessary toopen the container the glove 5 may be fitted in position without openingthe sealed container.

in a general manner, while the above description discloses preferredembodiments of the invention, it should be well understood that saidinvention is not limited thereto as there might be changes made in thearrangement, disposition and form of the parts without departing fromthe present invention as comprehended within the scope of the appendedclaims.

What we claim is:

1. An apparatus for use with a closed container having a wall providedwith a passage extending therethrough, said passage section greater thanthat of the remainder of said passage, an apparatus for performingoperations inside said container which comprises, in combination:

a ring type device having two series of elements each element beinghinged at its ends to two adjacent elements to form a closed chain, thesecond series of elements being inserted, in hinged pairs, respectivelyin each of the gaps between consecutive elements in the first series,the assembly being such that when the device is in an expanded positionwithin a conduit the second series of elements forms a prolongation ofthe elements of the first series to form a substantially continuous ringbearing against the wall of said conduit, and the hinged pairs of thesecond series of elements jam in this expanded position, while in aretracted position of the device, the elements of the second seriesbetween said gaps are folded and are retracted to the inside of thechain so that the diameter of the device is reduced to permit fittingand removal of the device into and from the conduit,

a flexible glove, and

an expansible continuous annular part forming the edge of said gloveadapted to fit against the inner wall of said housing, said annular partbeing guttershaped to accomodate the outer surface of said ring.

2. An apparatus for attaching a flexible tubing segment to the interiorof a conduit comprising, in combination, an expandable ring and meansfor expanding said ring, said means for expanding said ring comprismg:

a tubular body adapted to fit in said conduit,

means for securing said body in said conduit,

a casing slidable in said tubular body toward and away from the insideof said container,

means rotatable in said tubular body for causing said casing to slidetherein,

a central pinion coaxially rotatable in said casing,

a plurality of pinions in mesh with said central pinion around theperiphery thereof,

a hand-wheel coaxial with said central pinion and fixed thereto,

a plurality of shafts parallel to the axis of said tubular bodyrespectively coaxial with said peripheral pinions and fixed thereto, and

arms fixed to said shafts and operatively connected to said expandablering to force said expandable ring into its expanded position engagingsaid flexible glove with the inner wall of said housing when saidpinions are rotated by said hand-wheel.

3. An apparatus for attaching a flexible tubing segment to the interiorof a conduit comprising, in combination, an expandable ring, and meansfor expanding said ring, said ring comprising, in combination:

a first set of ring elements respectively shaped to form non-contiguousportions of either of two closed rings, and

a second set of ring elements forming groups each interposed by hingingbetween two successive ring elements of the first set, each of saidgroups consisting of at least two ring elements hinged together, theelements of each of said groups being shaped and dimensioned to jamtogether when they are unfolded and to form, in said unfolded position,extensions of the ring elements of the first set between which they arelocated, the whole of the ring elements of said first and second setsthen forming a continuous ring, the ring elements of the first setforming portions of a non-continuous ring located inside said continuousring when the ring elements of the second set are pivoted inwardly withrespect to the ring elements of the first set,

said ring constructed and arranged to fit inside said flexible tubingsegment when in a first, contracted,

position and to jam an annular section of said flexible tubing segmentoutward and into contact with said conduit when in a second expandedposition.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said groups of elements arehinged together about pivot axes located on the inside of the mean lineof said ring elements.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said means for expanding said ringis supported by a casing slidably mounted in a tubular body fitting insaid conduit.

6. An apparatus for attaching a flexible tubing segment to the interiorof a conduit comprising:

a first set of ring elements respectively shaped to form non-contiguousportions of either of two closed rings and,

a second set of ring elements forming groups each interposed by hingingbetween two successive ring elements of the first set, each of saidgroups consisting of at least two ring elements hinged together, theelements of each of said groups being shaped and dimensioned to jamtogether when they are unfolded and to form, in said unfolded position,extensions of the ring elements of the first set between which they arelocated, the whole of the ring elements of said first and second setsthen forming a continuous ring, the ring elements of the first setforming portions of a non-continuous ring located inside said continuousring when the ring elements of the second set are pivoted inwardly withrespect to the ring elements of the first set,

a plurality of pivot arms constructed and arranged to engage each ofsaid groups of said second set of ring elements and force each of saidgroups outwardly when rotated,

means to impart rotative motion to said pivot arms,

said apparatus constructed and arranged to fit inside said flexibletubing segment contained within said conduit when in a first contractedposition and to jam an annular section of said flexible tubing when saidpivot arms are rotated forcing said second set of ring elementsoutwardly.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said means for imparting rotativemotion to said pivot arms comprises,

a tubular body adapted to fit in said conduit,

means for securing said body in said conduit,

a casing slidable in said tubular body toward and away from the insideof said container,

means rotatable in said tubular body for causing said casing to slidetherein,

a central pinion coaxially rotatable in said casing,

a plurality of pinions in mesh with said central pinion around theperiphery thereof,

a hand-wheel coaxial with said central pinion and fixed thereto,

a plurality of shafts parallel to the axis of said tubular bodyrespectively coaxial with said peripheral pinions and fixed thereto, and

arms fixed to said shafts and operatively connected to said expandablering to force said expandable ring into its expanded position engagingsaid flexible glove with the inner wall of said housing when saidpinions are rotated by said hand-wheel.

1. An apparatus for use with a closed container having a wall providedwith a passage extending therethrough, said passage section greater thanthat of the remainder of said passage, an apparatus for performingoperations inside said container which comprises, in combination: a ringtype device having two series of elements each element being hinged atits ends to two adjacent elements to form a closed chain, the secondseries of elements being inserted, in hinged pairs, respectively in eachof the gaps between consecutive elements in the first series, theassembly being such that when the device is in an expanded positionwithin a conduit the second series of elements forms a prolongation ofthe elements of the first series to form a substantially continuous ringbearing against the wall of said conduit, and the hinged pairs of thesecond series of elements jam in this expanded position, while in aretracted position of the device, the elements of the second seriesbetween said gaps are folded and are retracted to the inside of thechain so that the diameter of the device is reduced to permit fittingand removal of the device into and from the conduit, a flexible glove,and an expansible continuous annular part forming the edge of said gloveadapted to fit against the inner wall of said housing, said annular partbeing gutter-shaped to accomodate the outer surface of said ring.
 2. Anapparatus for attaching a flexible tubing segment to the interior of aconduit comprising, in combination, an expandable ring and means forexpanding said ring, said means for expanding said ring comprising: atubular body adapted to fit in said conduit, means for securing saidbody in said conduit, a casing slidable in said tubular body toward andaway from the inside of said container, means rotatable in said tubularbody for causing said casing to slide therein, a central pinioncoaxially rotatable in said casing, a plurality of pinions in Mesh withsaid central pinion around the periphery thereof, a hand-wheel coaxialwith said central pinion and fixed thereto, a plurality of shaftsparallel to the axis of said tubular body respectively coaxial with saidperipheral pinions and fixed thereto, and arms fixed to said shafts andoperatively connected to said expandable ring to force said expandablering into its expanded position engaging said flexible glove with theinner wall of said housing when said pinions are rotated by saidhand-wheel.
 3. An apparatus for attaching a flexible tubing segment tothe interior of a conduit comprising, in combination, an expandablering, and means for expanding said ring, said ring comprising, incombination: a first set of ring elements respectively shaped to formnon-contiguous portions of either of two closed rings, and a second setof ring elements forming groups each interposed by hinging between twosuccessive ring elements of the first set, each of said groupsconsisting of at least two ring elements hinged together, the elementsof each of said groups being shaped and dimensioned to jam together whenthey are unfolded and to form, in said unfolded position, extensions ofthe ring elements of the first set between which they are located, thewhole of the ring elements of said first and second sets then forming acontinuous ring, the ring elements of the first set forming portions ofa non-continuous ring located inside said continuous ring when the ringelements of the second set are pivoted inwardly with respect to the ringelements of the first set, said ring constructed and arranged to fitinside said flexible tubing segment when in a first, contracted,position and to jam an annular section of said flexible tubing segmentoutward and into contact with said conduit when in a second expandedposition.
 4. An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said groups ofelements are hinged together about pivot axes located on the inside ofthe mean line of said ring elements.
 5. The apparatus of claim 3,wherein said means for expanding said ring is supported by a casingslidably mounted in a tubular body fitting in said conduit.
 6. Anapparatus for attaching a flexible tubing segment to the interior of aconduit comprising: a first set of ring elements respectively shaped toform non-contiguous portions of either of two closed rings and, a secondset of ring elements forming groups each interposed by hinging betweentwo successive ring elements of the first set, each of said groupsconsisting of at least two ring elements hinged together, the elementsof each of said groups being shaped and dimensioned to jam together whenthey are unfolded and to form, in said unfolded position, extensions ofthe ring elements of the first set between which they are located, thewhole of the ring elements of said first and second sets then forming acontinuous ring, the ring elements of the first set forming portions ofa non-continuous ring located inside said continuous ring when the ringelements of the second set are pivoted inwardly with respect to the ringelements of the first set, a plurality of pivot arms constructed andarranged to engage each of said groups of said second set of ringelements and force each of said groups outwardly when rotated, means toimpart rotative motion to said pivot arms, said apparatus constructedand arranged to fit inside said flexible tubing segment contained withinsaid conduit when in a first contracted position and to jam an annularsection of said flexible tubing when said pivot arms are rotated forcingsaid second set of ring elements outwardly.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6wherein said means for imparting rotative motion to said pivot armscomprises, a tubular body adapted to fit in said conduit, means forsecuring said body in said conduit, a casing slidable in said tubularbody toward and away from the inside of said container, means rotatablein said tubular body for causing said casing to slide therein, a centralpinion coaxially rotatable in said casing, a plurality of pinions inmesh with said central pinion around the periphery thereof, a hand-wheelcoaxial with said central pinion and fixed thereto, a plurality ofshafts parallel to the axis of said tubular body respectively coaxialwith said peripheral pinions and fixed thereto, and arms fixed to saidshafts and operatively connected to said expandable ring to force saidexpandable ring into its expanded position engaging said flexible glovewith the inner wall of said housing when said pinions are rotated bysaid hand-wheel.